The present invention relates to wave forming devices, apparatus and methods.
A number of wave forming devices and methods have been developed that simulate some forms of ocean waves. Only one of these devices and associated methods that are presently available produce a breaking as opposed to a rolling ocean wave. The device is produced under the trademark FLOWRIDER. Breaking ocean waves are waves which build in amplitude until the crest of the wave moves in the direction of motion of the wave at a greater speed than that with which the body of the wave is moving to result in the crest of the wave collapsing forwardly in front of the body of the wave. The crest of some breaking ocean waves meets the water in front of the body of the wave without affecting the stability of the wave, to result in a wave commonly referred to by surfers as a xe2x80x9cpipelinexe2x80x9d.
Surfers, body boarders and body surfers typically like to surf on the face of a breaking ocean wave, which is typically a concave surface. In surfing on the face of a breaking ocean wave, surfers, body boarders, and body surfers initially move in a downward direction while the wave is moving forwardly and can either be carried along by the wave in such a position or perform manoeuvres on the wave by moving relative to the wave. For example, they can move (a) longitudinally along the wave, (b) upwardly, up the face of the wave, (c) downwardly, down the face of the wave, or (d) any combination of movements (a)-(c). The FLOWRIDER includes a curved surface which corresponds to the face of a breaking ocean wave. The radius of curvature of the curved surface progressively varies along the length of the curved surface of the FLOWRIDER. Water is pumped from a lower region of the curved surface, upwardly along the curved surface, so that the pumped water follows the curvature of the curved surface and, in regions along the length of the FLOWRIDER the water is directed back to the lower region to produce a flow pathway which simulates a xe2x80x9cpipelinexe2x80x9d.
A surfer typically surfs the FLOWRIDER by entering the simulated wave at a lower region of the wave. The upwardly directed water carries the surfer to an upper region of a curved surface. A surfer can then maneuver their board and/or themselves to surf their way along the length of the FLOWRIDER.
However, because the FLOWRIDER relies solely on water being forced upwardly up the curved surface to simulate a breaking ocean wave the FLOWRIDER does not accurately simulate a breaking ocean wave. This is because the water is forced upwardly up the curved surface at a much greater flowrate than water which flows upwardly up the face of a breaking ocean wave as a result of the xe2x80x9csuckxe2x80x9d of a breaking ocean wave. When a surfer surfs a breaking ocean wave, the surfer""s board bites into the face of the wave and hence displaces water from the wave. The xe2x80x9csuckxe2x80x9d of a breaking ocean wave which produces movement of water up the face of the wave causes the water which is displaced by the surf board to curl over the edge of the board which is biting into the wave. The water which curls over the edge of the surf board provides a downward force to the board to hold the board into the wave. The flowrate at which water is required to be pumped up the curved surface of the FLOWRIDER results in the water travelling at such a speed that it does not provide any downward force to the board and hence does not hold a surf board into the curved surface of the FLOWRIDER. A vacuum is therefore applied to the curved surface of the FLOWRIDER to help prevent a surfers board from skipping out of the wave. While the vacuum addresses the problem of a board skipping out of the wave it introduces two additional problems. Firefly, surfers cannot perform maneuvers on the FLOWRIDER as they can when surfing a breaking ocean wave. If a surfer leaves the curved surface of the FLOWRIDER to perform a maneuver they are drawn into the curved surface of the FLOWRIDER by the vacuum which prevents them from completing their maneuver as they would if performing the maneuver on a breaking ocean wave. Secondly, the vacuum can result in a surfer being injured when attempting a maneuver because they are drawn either back into the curved surface or over an upper region of the curved surface and onto either the ground which surrounds the FLOWRIDER or part of the structure which supports the curved surface of the FLOWRIDER.
It is therefore desirable to provide a device and/or apparatus and/or method which more closely simulates an ocean wave, thereby enabling surfers, body boarders and body surfers to surf, body board or body surf without having access to ocean waves.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a wave simulating device comprising a surface which substantially conforms to the shape that a face of a predetermined natural ocean wave has at a predetermined instant, and fluid projecting means for projecting fluid from a position which either lies in the plane of the surface or beneath said plane, wherein the fluid projecting means is arranged to project fluid out of the surface to enable a person to surf over the surface.
Said person may surf either with a planar object including a body board, surf board or the like or without the planar object in which case the person body surfs over the surface.
The fluid may be completely or predominantly liquid.
The fluid projecting means may comprise a plurality of nozzles which are adapted to project fluid out of the surface.
The projection capability of the nozzles may vary from one that is capable of producing a very narrow projection to one that produces a very broad or diffuse projection.
The location and spacing of the nozzles may be varied to produce different surfing conditions.
The wave forming device may include projection control means for controlling the projection of fluid from the fluid projecting means.
The projection control means may be arranged to control characteristics of the projected fluid including any one or more of the following characteristics:
(a) pressure of the fluid which is projected out of the surface;
(b) diffuseness of the fluid which-is projected out of the surface.
The fluid may include a substance such as a surfactant which is adapted to increase forces of attraction between the fluid and the surface.
The fluid may comprise a liquid/air mixture which is adapted to form a liquid/air cushion over the surface.
The projection control means may include detecting means for detecting location of the object or person on the surface to enable fluid to be projected out of a nozzle during the instant that a person or object passes over the nozzle.
Fluid may be projected out of the nozzle by opening said nozzle for a predetermined period of time.
The detecting means may comprise a sensor which is adapted to recognize an activating signal and subsequently activate the projection of fluid from a nozzle.
The activating signal may include movement of a person.
The activating signal may include a planar object including a body board, surf board or the like.
The activating signal may include activating means for emission of an activating signal, the activating means being arranged for attachment to a person, or object including a body board, surf board or the like.
The planar object may include activating means for emission of an activating signal.
The activating signal may include a material or coating which is attached to a bottom side of a planar object, to the skin of a person, or outside surface of a wetsuit worn by a person.
The sensor may include a proximity switch.
The proximity switch may include any one or more of the following proximity switches:
(a) ultra sonnic;
(b) Infra red;
(c) Metal detector including ferrous or nonferrous metal detector;
(d) Photo-electric.
The nozzles may be arranged to project fluid out of the surface at an angle which is not transverse with the surface nor substantially parallel with the surface.
The fluid projecting means may be arranged to increase the area of contact on a planar object or person surfing over the surface and subsequently decrease the pressure of the fluid which is required to act on said object or person to keep said object or person respectively spaced apart from said surface.
The shape of a predetermined region of the surface may change with the use of shape varying means from one predetermined instant to another predetermined instant to simulate the changes in shape of a face of a natural breaking ocean wave as it approaches the shoreline.
The shape of the entire surface may change from one predetermined instant to another predetermined instant.
The shape varying means may include hydraulics.
The shape of the surface may be continuously changed through a sequence of shapes, the sequence and/or the shapes which form the sequence being arranged to simulate a predetermined natural breaking ocean wave.
The shape varying means may be controlled by shape control means.
The projection control means and shape control means may be controlled and synchronized by overall control means to simulate a predetermined natural breaking ocean wave.
The surface may have a predetermined surface area.
A longitudinal length of the surface which corresponds to a longitudinal length of a predetermined natural breaking ocean wave may be a predetermined amount.
The surface area and/or longitudinal length of the surface may be arranged to change from one predetermined instant to another predetermined instant. The surface is preferably orinated so that a person surfing over the surface surfs in a downward direction, so that they are propelled over the surface by a reduction in their gravitational potential energy.
It is preferred that the shape of the surface and distance between the upper and lower extremeties of the surface, at a predetermined instant, varies so that a longitudinal axis of the surface extends generally downwardly.
The downward orientation of the surface simulates the xe2x80x9csuckxe2x80x9d of a natural breaking ocean wave which moves up the face of a natural breaking ocean wave as the wave moves in a forward direction. The xe2x80x9csuckxe2x80x9d carries a surfer upwardly, enabling them to subsequently move down the face of the wave and gather speed relative to the face of the wave. By increasing their speed relative to the face of a wave a surfer can perform manoeuvres on the face of the wave.
The surface is preferably also orientated so that a person surfing over the surface moves forward of their starting position, as they surf over the surface.
It is preferred that the shape of the surface and distance between the upper and lower extremeties of the surface, at a predetermined instant, varies so that a longitudinal axis of the surface extends generally forwardly.
The longitudinal axis of the surface may be gradually downwardly sloping.
The longitudinal axis of the surface is also preferably gradually forwardly sloping.
It is preferred that the surface is adapted to absorb impacts from objects and persons.
It is preferred that the surface is adapted to cushion the impact between an object and/or person and the surface.
The surface may be padded.
It is also preferred that the surface is flexible to enable the shape of the surface to be varied.
The surface may be formed of a material which is arranged to reduce or minimise friction between an object and/or person and said surface.
The surface may be formed of a material which is arranged to (a) reduce or minimise friction between an object and/or person and said surface; and (b) cushion an impact between and object and/or person and the surface.
The surface may be formed of vinyl and/or plastic or like material.
The surface may have a crest portion and a trough portion corresponding respectively to a crest and trough of a predetermined natural breaking a ocean wave.
The surface may be arranged to enable a person surfing over the surface to surf over regions of the surface that have characteristics including anyone or more of the following that differ from other regions of the surface:
(a) shape
(b) distance between lower and upper extremeties of the surface. The crest portion may adjoin a take-off region from where a person would begin their descent down the surface towards the trough portion of the surface.
The take-off region may comprise a substantially horizontal surface which extends both rearwardly of the crest portion, away from the surface, and a predetermined amount along the longitudinal length of the surface.
The substantially horizontal surface may be integrally formed with the crest portion.
Access means may be provided for access to the substantially horizontal surface.
The access means may comprise steps which extend from a base region of the simulating device upwardly towards the substantially horizontal surface and adjoin thereto.
The access means may be integrally formed with the surface.
The access means may be integrally formed with the crest portion.
The substantially horizontal surface may extend along the longitudinal length of the surface.
A person may select where along the longitudinal length of the substantially horizontal surface they begin their descent so that they surf over the surface which suites their surfing ability.
For example, an experienced surfer may dismount the take-off region at a position along the longitudinal length of the take-off region which corresponds to a longitudinal segment of the surface having a crest portion which extends upwardly and forwardly. In such a situation the surfer would free fall for a short period of time before coming into contact with the surface. This would simulate a situation where a surfer surfing a natural breaking ocean wave positions himself/herself on top of the platform of the wave for a short period of time before moving off the platform and free falling down to the face of the wave.
The trough portion of the surface may extend into a pool portion having a predetermined depth of liquid for entry of a person after they have moved down the surface from the take-off region.
The depth of the pool portion may vary to correspond to regions of a predetermined natural breaking ocean wave where a surfer may need a greater or less depth of liquid to break their fall.
The trough portion of the surface preferably meets an upper surface of the liquid of the pool portion so that the upper surface of the liquid in the pool portion forms an extension of the trough portion of the surface to simulate a natural breaking ocean wave wherein the trough of the wave extends smoothly into the water level of the ocean.
Sheets of liquid may be projected upwardly and forwardly of the crest portion of the surface so as to simulate a natural breaking ocean wave commonly referred to as a pipeline or tube.
The sheets of liquid may include a predetermined volume percentage of fluid.
The upwardly projected sheets of liquid may be projected after a person begins to move down the surface.
Alternatively, the sheets of liquid may only be projected upwardly and forwardly of the crest portion in a region along the longitudinal length of the surface where a person surfing is positioned at any given instant so that the projected sheets of liquid follow a surfer along the longitudinal length of the surface.
Projection of the sheets of liquid may be controlled by sheet projection control means.
The sheet projection control means may include sheet projection detecting means for detecting location of the object or person on the surface so that a surfer enters and leaves regions corresponding to xe2x80x9cpipesxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ctubesxe2x80x9d of a predetermined natural breaking ocean wave as they surf along the longitudinal length of the surface.
The sheet projection detecting means may comprise a sheet projection sensor which is adapted to recognise a sheet projection activating signal and subsequently activate the projection of sheets of liquid. The sheet projection sensor may include a sheet projection proximity switch.
The sheet projection activating signal may comprise movement of a person and the sheet projection proximity switch may include anyone or the following switches:
(a) Ultra sonic;
(b) Infrared;
(c) Photo-electric.
The sheet projection activating signal may include a material or coating which is attached to a bottom side of a planar object, to the skin of a person, or outside surface of a wet suit worn by a person, and the proximity switch may include a ferrous or non-ferrous metal detector.
The sheets of liquid may be produced by other projecting means for projecting liquid in a direction which is both upward and forward of the crest portion.
The surface may have a plurality of crest and trough portions.
The other projecting means may include the same features defined above in relation to the projecting means.
The device may include support means for supporting the surface.
The device may include movement means for moving the surface substantially horizontally in a direction which is substantially normal to a longitudinal axis of the surface to simulate the movement of a predetermined natural breaking ocean wave as it approaches the shoreline.
The overall control means may also control the sheet projection control means and the movement means.
The overall control means may control the projection control means, the sheet projection control means, the shape control means and the movement means to simulate a rolling ocean wave.
The overall control means may control the projection control means, the sheet projection control means, the shape control means and the movement means to simulate a breaking ocean wave.
The overall control means may control the projection control means, the sheet projection control means, the shape control means and the movement means to simulate an ocean wave which is in transition from a rolling ocean wave to a breaking ocean wave.
The nozzles of the fluid projecting means and other projecting means may be connected to fluid pressurising means which is positioned beneath the surface and is arranged to maintain fluid pressure so that upon opening of the nozzles fluid is forced out of the nozzles and subsequently out of the surface.
The nozzles may be seated in a common reservoir which is pressurised by the fluid pressurising means.
Alternatively, the nozzles may connect to a pipe which in turn connects to the fluid pressurising means.
The pipe may include a feeder pipe which is positioned below the surface and is substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the surface, the nozzles being attached to the feeder pipe and the feeder pipe attaching to a pressurised pipe which connects the feeder pipe to the fluid pressurising means.
The feeder pipe may comprise a plurality of feeder pipes.
The feeder pipe and pressurised pipe may be integrally formed. opening of each nozzle for a predetermined period of time may be activated by a corresponding sensor.
Alternatively, each sensor may activate opening of at least two corresponding nozzles for a predetermined period of time wherein each such sensor is positioned in a predetermined region about the at least 2 corresponding nozzles so that an object or person passing over the surface in a downward direction passes over a sensor prior to passing over a nozzle which is activated by the sensor.
The sensors are preferably positioned either in the plane of the surface or beneath said plane and adapted to activate the projection of fluid from a corresponding nozzle while of a person or object is passing over the sensor.
A sensor may activate a corresponding nozzle which is located in a predetermined region about the sensor so that an object or person passing over the surface in an upward direction passes over a sensor prior to passing over a nozzle which is activated by the sensor.
It is preferred that each nozzle has associated detector means for detecting whether the planar object or person is either contacting the surface or very near thereto such that projection of water from the projecting means or other projecting means is prevented when the planar object or person is not either contacting the surface or very near thereto to prevent fluid being projected either past outer edges of the planar object or into a region of the person""s body such as their face or, in particular, eyes which are not either contacting or very near to the surface.
The temperature of the fluid may be controlled.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of simulating a predetermined natural ocean wave comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a surface which substantially conforms to the shape that a face of a predetermined natural ocean wave has at a predetermined instant; and
(b) projecting fluid from a position which either lies in the plane of the surface or beneath said plane to project fluid out of the surface to enable a person to surf over the surface.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of simulating surfing a predetermined natural ocean wave comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a surface which substantially conforms to the shape that a face of a predetermined natural ocean wave has at a predetermined instant;
(b) projecting fluid from a position which either lies in the plane of the surface or beneath said plane to project fluid out of the surface; and
(c) surfing over the surface on the fluid projected therefrom.
The method may include using any of the above defined features of the ocean wave simulating device.
In the claims which follow and in the preceding summary of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise, due to express language or necessary implication, the words xe2x80x9ccomprisingxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9ccomprisesxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ccomprisexe2x80x9d are used in the sense of xe2x80x9cincludingxe2x80x9d; that is the feature specified may be associated with further features in various embodiments of the invention.